Animal World: Our Co-inhabitants

The Adorable American Pika

2020-02-01

Language：English

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Hallo, My name is Lucas, and I’m a vegan American pika from Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. There aren’t many other mammals in Canada or the US who can survive in mountains above the timberline the way we do. We are related to rabbits and hares, but we’re smaller. Our extraordinary hearing and eyesight allow us to be constantly aware of our surroundings and ready for unexpected events. Though maintaining separate homes, pikas like to live together as a group, so we can help protect each other. We are not picky eaters and enjoy a variety of plants, including different kinds of grass, sedge, bayberry, clover, thistle, and weeds. Some humans have begun to use our activity as an indicator of global warming in western North America. Other species that live in mountains can move up higher if the climate gets warmer. Pikas are already so close to the top that we would have nowhere to go. Please awaken your loving kindness, not only for American pikas, but for all of Earth’s inhabitants.